Hit the 'easy button' on your life by spending retirement on cruises
USA TODAY
With cruise lines offering a wide range of sailings, including some stretching for months, travelers can comfortably spend much of retirement at sea.
For Heather and Paul Schlueter, retirement didn't mean slowing down. The pair started traveling full-time in 2023, including setting a goal to spend one-third of the year on cruise ships.
The couple, who were previously based in Arizona but now spend only about a month there each year, also travel by plane, RV and train, but have found cruises play an important role in their nomadic lifestyle. "It's the easy button for us," said Heather, 56. "A lot of our other travels are complicated and require a lot of work. When we need a break, and we want to be pampered, we want everything taken care of for us, we're like, 'You know what? It's time for a cruise.'"
Younger passengers have shown increased interest in cruises in recent years, but older guests still make up a large portion of their clientele. According to Cruise Lines International Association’s 2025 State of the Cruise Industry Report, 17% of cruise travelers were between 50 and 59, while 18% were between 60 and 69.
With cruise lines offering a wide range of sailings, including some stretching for months at a time, travelers can comfortably spend much of their retirement on the high seas. Here’s how.
Jim Lenahan, executive editor for AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin, said, "Cruise travel is of high interest to our members." He cited a number of reasons, from its "floating hotel" format, which allows guests to unpack just once, to its atmosphere.
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